Chilled item server

ABSTRACT

A chilled item server is disclosed including an outer barrel formed of thermoplastic material that has a generally cylindrical shape, substantially vertical sides, a generally flat, closed bottom, and an open top having an annular ledge. An inner liner fits within the outer barrel and has a generally elongated truncated pyramidal shape, a generally flat bottom, an open top with an extended rim formed to compliment the generally square opening shape of the outer barrel and to rest on the annular ledge. A chamber is located between the inner liner and the outer barrel and is filled with polystyrene foam. At least one freezer panel is formed of appropriate size and shape to fit within the inner liner. The freezer panel is formed of thermoplastic material and arranged in a syncline. The freezer panels have cavities within each freezer panel that is filled with 2% saline solution. Casters are mounted to the generally flat bottom of the outer barrel. Graphics are printed on styrene that is wrapped, and secured to the outer barrel. Thereafter, beverages are placed within the server and subjected to the cool atmosphere created within the server by the freezer panel and thereafter maintained at an effective temperature for consumption.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/221,388, filedDec. 28, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,810.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to insulated containers for theprotection of temperature sensitive goods and more particularly to aninsulated container for the display and sale of milk in schoolcafeterias.

Generally, for keeping temperature-sensitive foodstuffs, especiallybeverages, chilled, either an electrically refrigerated cabinet or aninsulated container filled with ice has been used. For example, as astudent passes through the lunch line he/she usually passes a largeelectrically refrigerated cabinet filled with cartons of milk. Also,convenience stores generally have point-of-sale insulated containersfilled with iced-down beverages. There are numerous problems associatedwith either method of cooling individually packaged beverages.

Electrically refrigerated cabinets are large, cumbersome units with manyfaults. The large nature of the cabinets makes them particularlyunsuited for young students who are not tall enough and cannot accessthe milk or other products inside the unit. The units are not easilymovable and this prevents convenient rearrangement of the lunch line asneeded. These cabinets generally require a substantial capitalinvestment on the part of the school district. Additionally, as withother similar appliances, the units require periodic maintenance. If theunit fails or a power outage occurs, the units are completelyineffective during the interim.

As a solution to the aforementioned shortcomings to an electricallyrefrigerated unit, insulated beverage coolers have been made that chillthe beverages with ice in an attractive display. These coolers arebasically large tubs that hold individually packed beverages togetherwith ice, thus keeping the beverages in contact with the ice and cooled.Although these coolers are generally more mobile and convenient, theyalso are fraught with drawbacks.

Placing food or beverages on ice, although the food or beverage may beindividually packaged, allows for the opportunity for contamination tothe food or beverage by the melted ice. Sometimes the preferred productis packaged in a carton, like milk, and the carton becomes soggy afterprolonged contact in ice and melted water. The melted ice may splash andspill out of the cooler, thus creating a slip-and-fall hazard. Thebeverages eventually may become completely immersed within the ice andwater. This is inconvenient and also presents a health risk due to thespread of germs within the ice and water mixture. The accumulation ofwater as a cooling medium has the undesirable effect of impairing thedegree of sanitation achievable and maintainable.

There is a need, therefore, for a chilled beverage container that canmaintain the required cooling effect on its contents while being mobile,efficient, sanitary, and inexpensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a chilled item server formed oflightweight durable polymer. The server is made of an outer barrel ofany appropriate thermoplastic formed to hold an inner liner. Prior toplacing the inner liner within the outer barrel, a foaming fixturedefines the inside face of an insulating body made of insulatingmaterial between the inner liner and the outer barrel. Particulatematerial between the fixture and the outer barrel is processed to form afused foam between the barrel and the fixture. The fixture can then bereplaced by the inner liner. The inner liner has an inner surfacesuitable for the insertion of multiple freezer panels, such that freezerpanels thereafter are in juxtaposition with the inner surface. Thefreezer panels are molded polymer panels filled with cooling agent, suchas saline solution, that can be frozen in a suitable freezer.

The items to be chilled and displayed may be placed within the combinedbarrels. The freezer panels cool and maintain the items at a preferredchilled temperature. The insulating material serves to maintain thechilled temperature and also retard thawing of the freezer panels. Thefreezer panels are reusable and easily cleaned and maintained. Theentire barrel is also easily cleaned and sanitized as needed. The barrelmay be mounted on casters to allow for convenient mobility of thebarrel, either full or empty. Preferably the inner dimensions, after theinsertion of the freezer panels, allows for two standard milk crates,each containing 96 ½-pint milk cartons, to be placed within the barrel.The outer dimensions can be adjusted accordingly to accommodate shorteror handicapped students. The freezer panels slowly thaw and maythereafter be replaced with fully frozen panels. The amount ofcondensation is minimal and does not produce the problems associatedwith using ice in direct contact with the food or beverage item.

The invention also provides an improved vending process for milk inschool cafeterias.

The invention also provides an improved vending process for diaryproducts in grocery or convenience stores.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chilled item server in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2—2 in FIG. 1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a panel component of the embodiment ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing theprocess of replacing panels.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an intermediate blow molded item used inmaking the chilled item server in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the preferred insulating assembly withinthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates thepreferred embodiment of the chilled item server 10.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 the outer barrel 12, and the inner liner 14 ofthe chilled item server 10 are constructed of any suitable material butpreferably is made of thermoplastic material and most preferablypolyethylene. The outer barrel 12 preferably is substantially outwardlycylindrical with generally vertical sides 16, a closed bottom 18 thathas a flat outer surface and an open top 20. As shown particularly inFIG. 2, the rim 22 of the outer barrel 12 is formed with an inwardlyextending annular ledge 24. The annular ledge 24 may extend inwardlymore than is shown in FIG. 2, as will be apparent from the discussionbelow with respect to FIG. 5. The outer diameter of the outer barrel 12is preferably about 26 inches. The height of the outer barrel 12 isdependent upon the targeted consumer of the beverage to be held in theserver 10. If the server 10 is to be used in an elementary schoolcafeteria, the height should be about 26 inches to facilitate smallerchildren reaching into the server 10 to get milk. For secondary and highschools, however, the outer barrel 12 is preferably about 36 inches inheight.

As shown in FIG. 2, an inner liner 14 is fit within the outer barrel 12.The inner liner 14 preferably is substantially in the shape of anelongated truncated pyramid with a substantially flat bottom 28 and anextended rim 30 formed to complement the shape of opening 20 of theouter barrel 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the rim 30 of the inner liner 14rests upon the annular ledge 24 of the outer barrel. The dimensions ofthe inner liner 14 are determined in part from the size of a milk crate38 to be stored therein. The inner height of the inner liner 14 ispreferably about 21 ¾ inches and the length of the substantially squareinner walls is preferably about 15 ⅝ inches.

When the inner liner 14 and outer barrel 12 barrel fit together, achamber 32 is created as the space between the outer surface of theinner liner 14 and the inner surface of the outer barrel 12. It ispreferred that insulating material 34 fill this chamber 32.

The preferred insulating assembly 50 is illustrated in FIG. 6. Preformedsections 52 are made by a conventional styrofoam molding process whereinpolystyrene beads having gas cores are placed in a mold of appropriateform. The polystyrene material is heated by injecting steam to expandthe gas cores to form a fusing of the beads together. The preformedsections 52 are then assembled within outer barrel 12 to fill thechamber 32. The sections are appropriately formed to fit the upper 54and base 56 sections within the chamber 32. This assembly method ispreferred because the inner liner 14 is not exposed to the heat of thesteam and therefore experiences little to no distortion.

Another method to make the insulating material is to use an aluminumfoaming fixture of appropriate form inserted into the outer barrel 12.Again, a conventional styrofoam molding process may be used in whichpolystyrene beads 34 having gas cores are placed between the fixture andthe outer barrel 12 and the polystyrene material is heated by injectingsteam to expand the gas cores to form a fusing of the beads together.Then, the fixture is removed and the inner liner 14 inserted into theouter barrel 12. In this manner, the inner liner 14 experiences minimaldistortion due to the heat of the steam. Other insulating material andmethods may be used as recognized by those skilled in the art.

As shown in FIG. 5, it is preferred that the inner liner 14 and theouter barrel 12 are formed through conventional blow molding. The outerbarrel 12 is formed with annular ledge 24. The inner liner 14 and outerbarrel 12 are separated at point A. Then inner liner 14 is trimmedperipherally at point B. In this manner, inner liner 14 is formed withextended rim 30 to fit annular ledge 24.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner liner 14 is formed of a suitablesize and configuration to hold a plurality of freezer panels 36 and twoconventional milk crates 38. Each freezer panel 36 preferably is formedby conventional blow molding of thermoplastic material. After forming,the freezer panel 36 is preferably filled with approximately a 2% salinesolution. For use, the freezer panels 36 are frozen and placed withinthe inner liner 14. Each freezer panel 36 may be individually frozen.The frozen panels 36 will provide sufficient cooling of the beveragesplaced within the server 10 due to the slow rate of thaw of the salinesolution. Upon complete thawing, the thawed freezer panel is replaceablewith a frozen panel, and the thawed panel may be re-frozen. Due to therecyclable nature of the freezer panels 36, the server provides a highlyefficient and cost effective method of displaying milk for sale inschool cafeterias.

Each freezer panel 36 preferably is formed so four panels define aperiphery in contact with the entire upright inner surface of the innerliner 14. As shown in FIG. 3, each freezer panel preferably issubstantially rectangular, about 16 inches wide by 22¾ inches high. Eachpanel 36 is preferably mitred along each vertical edge to form acomplementary fit with other adjacent panels. Also, each panel 36 ispreferably wider at the top, approximately 1 inch, and graduallydecreases in width toward the bottom, approximately ⅝ inch, having asyncline profile. Each panel 36 preferably is formed with a handle 42and a plurality of bosses 44 at which the front and rear faces of thepanel are joined to prevent bowing or other panel distortion as theliquid inside expands upon freezing. FIG. 3 illustrates a panel 36 withsix indentations of about 1½ inches in diameter with a depth of betweenabout ⅞ to about ⅝ inch, dependent upon placement of the indentation dueto the varying width of the panel 36.

As shown in FIG. 1, preferably four freezer panels 36 fit together toform the inner surface of the server 10. Thereafter, two conventionalmilk crates 38, each carrying 96½-pint milk cartons are verticallystacked into the server 10. The freezer panels 36 are removable andreplaceable with freshly frozen panels even while the milk crates 38remain within the server 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, preferably casters 40 are mounted to the bottom ofthe outer barrel 12 to ease mobility of the server 10. Also in FIG. 1,the server 10 is illustrated with graphics 46, for example light gaugestyrene sheeting that is printed, wrapped, and secured to the outerbarrel 12.

The server 10 makes for an improved display for the sale of milk inschool cafeterias. The server 10 maintains the milk at an effectivetemperature for safe storage and consumption. The server providessufficient cooling of milk without the need for ice or electricity.Further, the convenient and accessible nature of the server provides anattractive inducement for purchasing milk products.

Although the preferred embodiment concentrates on the sale of milk inschool cafeterias, the invention should not be limited thereto. Othervendors may profit from this server 10 as well. For example, the server10 may be used in a grocery or convenience store with similar graphicsshown in FIG. 1 to display various dairy products. The server 10 allowsfor the independent display of dairy products apart from other beveragesto highlight the nutritional nature of dairy products, in general. Inaddition, the server 10 allows vendors of other beverage products, suchas soda, to place the beverages in an attractive and competitive displaywithout the need for ice or electricity.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understoodthat the invention is not limited thereto. The above detaileddescription of the embodiment is provided for example only and shouldnot be construed as constituting any limitation of the invention.Modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and allmodifications that do not depart from the spirit of the invention areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A method for vending dairy products comprising: depositingcrated dairy products in a server that maintains the dairy products atan effective chilled temperature without ice or electricity; placing theserver in an accessible location for a consumer; and selling individualdairy products from the server.
 2. A chilled item server comprising:means for holding crates of milk; means for cooling and maintaining themilk at an effective temperature for consumption without using ice orelectricity, wherein the means for cooling and maintaining the milk atan effective temperature for consumption does not obstruct access by aconsumer to individual dairy products within crates in the chilled itemserver.
 3. The chilled item server of claim 2 further comprising: meansfor insulating the holding means.
 4. The chilled item server of claim 2further comprising: means for conveniently moving the server to adesired location.